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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Asiloidea » Robber Flies (Asilidae) » Dasypogoninae » Hanging-thieves (Diogmites)

Genus Diogmites - Hanging-thieves

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited

large bee like fly like bug - Diogmites neoternatus

Robber Fly - Diogmites angustipennis? - Diogmites angustipennis

Robber Fly sp.? - Diogmites angustipennis

Hanging thief - Diogmites neoternatus? - Diogmites

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)

Superfamily Asiloidea

Family Asilidae (Robber Flies)

Subfamily Dasypogoninae

Genus Diogmites (Hanging-thieves)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

=Deromyia

Explanation of Names

Diogmites Loew 1866

from Greek διωγμοσ 'chase, pursuit'

The common name was suggested by Herschel Raney after Dogmites's habit of hanging by its forelegs while consuming prey.

Numbers

25 spp. in our area, 74 total(1)

Size

Typically 20-30 mm, D. crudelis to 48 mm body length(2)

Range

US to n. Argentina; in our area, 12 spp. occur east of the Mississippi river, and several of these are widely distributed throughout the country(2)

Habitat

Woodlands, and more open areas (?)

Season

Jul-Sep in se. US

Food

insects (often larger than themselves), mostly aculeate Hymenoptera, but also Odonata and Diptera (incl. members of the same species)(2)

nocturnal feeding reported by Dennis (1978, Proc.Ent.Soc.Wash. 80:313); P. Coin has seen one under a light in NC

Life Cycle

Genus is known to have courtship behavior. Oviposits in ground, and ovipositor equipped with spines to aid in covering eggs. Larvae are possibly predators in soil, but specific information is lacking for this genus in references seen to date (P. Coin, July 2006).

Remarks

may causes significant economic damage by preying on honey bees(2)

Internet References

Genus page(3)

Robber Flies of Illinois--several pages on the genus

Works Cited

1.	Information on robber flies, compiled by F. Geller-Grimm

2.	The genus Diogmites (Robber Flies) in eastern United States (Diptera: Asilidae) Artigas J.N. 1966. Ohio J. Sci. 66(4): 401-421.

3.	Herschel Raney's Random Natural Acts: Robber Flies

Contributed by Cotinis on 5 July, 2004 - 8:41am
Additional contributions by Joshua Stuart Rose, v belov
Last updated 16 January, 2013 - 3:19pm

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